This is a priority application based upon German patent application 199 31 946.4, filed Jul. 9, 1999.
The invention relates to a method for producing (folding) cartons which, after filing, are closed by folding flaps, of which outer folding flaps are held in the closed position by adhesive bonding, in particular by an externally applied adhesive tape. Furthermore, the invention relates to an apparatus for carrying out the method.
The capacity of carton packers has to meet increasingly high requirements. On the other hand, such packing machines are to remain limited in their dimensions.
The invention is therefore based on the object of improving a carton packer to the extent that defective packs which are detected are reliably separated out and nevertheless the dimensions of the packing machine remain limited.
To achieve this object, the method according to the invention is characterized by the following features:
a) for closing, the cartons are transported along a conveying section, in particular a vertical conveying sectionxe2x80x94the closing section,
b) the cartons are examined with regard to correct formation, in particular with regard to the correct formation of the closure,
c) correctly formed cartons are transferred at the (upper) end of the closing section in the region of a transfer station to a removal conveying section, in particular a horizontally directed removal conveying section,
d) any defectively formed cartonsxe2x80x94defective cartonsxe2x80x94are conveyed past the transfer station into the region of a removal station for defective cartons.
The method according to the invention therefore provides that the defective cartons are transported past the removal conveyor for the correctly formed cartons and are removed in the region of a subsequent station.
The carton packer according to the invention is designed in such a way that the cartons are fed by a carton conveyorxe2x80x94closing conveyorxe2x80x94in a vertical direction to a removal conveyor. Defective cartons are moved by the same carton conveyor past the transfer station or the removal conveyor into a removal station for the defective packs. In the case of a vertical carton conveyor or closing conveyor, this station is formed according to the invention in the region of a downwardly proceeding conveying section, at a distance from a lower transfer station for the cartons.
A further special feature of the invention is that the carton conveyor has special receptacles for at least one carton each. These receptacles are of an angular form in cross section and are mounted on the carton conveyor in such a way that they can tip. A special feature is that the cartons are picked up or transferred to other conveying members by an automatically proceeding tipping movement brought about by relative movement.
Further special features of the invention are explained in more detail below on the basis of an exemplary embodiment of the apparatus represented in the drawings, in which: